This feature can be helpful in confirming that a message has been read, but it can also cause anxiety or pressure for some users who value their privacy.
Psychology Behind the Read Receipts
Why Acknowledging Messages Matters in Communication
Read receipts in WhatsApp serve as a form of acknowledgment in digital communication. They provide a sense of confirmation to the sender that their message has been received and read by the recipient successfully.
This acknowledgment is essential in building trust and maintaining smooth conversations. However, it can also lead to pressure to respond immediately, which may not always be feasible or desired.
Psychological Impact of Read Receipts WhatsApp Message
WhatsApp read receipts can have both positive and negative psychological impacts on users. On one hand, they offer a sense of certainty that the message has been read, which can help build trust between sender and recipient.
On the other hand, they can create anxiety and pressure to respond immediately, leading to stress and a feeling of being constantly connected.
Pros and Cons of Read Receipts
Read receipts in WhatsApp offer several advantages, such as:
Providing confirmation that a message has been read, which can help build trust in digital communication.
Allowing users to know if their message has been received, enabling them to follow up if necessary.
However, there are also disadvantages to read receipts, including:
Increased pressure to respond immediately, which can lead to stress and a feeling of being constantly connected.
The potential for misunderstandings and conflicts if a recipient chooses not to respond after the sender sees that the message has been read.
How-To Guide for Identifying WhatsApp’s Read Receipts
Recognizing Read Receipts in One-to-One Chats
Read receipts in WhatsApp appear as two blue ticks next to your sent message, indicating that the recipient has read it. To check if a message has been read, you can:
Open WhatsApp and select the chat with the desired contact.
Look for the blue ticks next to your sent message.
If you see two grey checkmarks instead of blue ticks, it means the message was received but not read.
Spotting Read Receipts in Group Chats
In group chats, read receipts work similarly. When you send a message to a group, the blue ticks will appear next to the message, indicating that the participants have read it. However, read receipts for group voice messages cannot be disabled.
Navigating Privacy Settings for Read Receipts
WhatsApp offers users the option to turn off read receipts, which prevents others from knowing if their messages have been read. To disable read receipts:
Open WhatsApp and tap the three dots icon at the top-right corner.
Tap Settings, then Account, then Privacy.
A Detailed Guide to Turning Off Read Receipts
To disable read receipts in WhatsApp, follow these steps:
Open the WhatsApp application on your device.
Tap on “Settings” in the bottom-right corner of the screen (for iOS) or the top-right corner (for Android).
Tap on “Privacy”.
Find the “Read Receipts” option and toggle it off.
Understand the Difference Between WhatsApp And WhatsApp Business account
WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business are two distinct versions of the popular messaging application, each tailored to cater to different needs, primarily targeting personal and business communication respectively. While they share many similarities, they also come with features that make them suitable for their respective purposes. Here’s a breakdown of the key differences between WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business accounts before you make up your mind to change your WhatsApp to business account:
Regular WhatsApp
You use WhatsApp to talk to your friends and family. You can send text messages, make voice and video calls, and share pictures and videos. It’s your go-to tool for hanging out with your favourite people.
WhatsApp Business
Now, imagine if you had a business like a shop or a restaurant. That’s where WhatsApp Business comes in handy! It’s made for businesses to connect with you, their customers. They can put up important stuff about their business, like the business name, their hours, and even their website.
They can even set up messages that say ‘hi’ to you automatically or let you know when they’re not around. It’s like they’re always ready to talk, even if they’re busy serving other customers.
How To Convert WhatsApp To Business Account?
Download WhatsApp Business: If you haven’t already, download and install the WhatsApp Business app from your device’s app store. It’s available for both Android and iOS.
Open WhatsApp Business: Once the app is installed, open it.
Agree to Terms: You’ll be asked to agree to the terms of service and privacy policy. Read through them and tap “Agree & Continue.”
Verify Your Phone Number: Just like with regular WhatsApp, you’ll need to verify your phone number. Make sure it’s the same number you’ve been using for your regular WhatsApp account.
Restore Backup (Optional): If you want to transfer your chats and media from your regular WhatsApp account to your new WhatsApp Business account, you’ll have the option to restore a backup at this point.
Set Up Your Business Profile:
Enter your business name: This is how your business will appear to customers.
Choose a business category: Pick a category that best fits your business.
Add business details: This includes your business address, business hours, website, and a brief description of your business.
Confirmation: Review the information you’ve entered and tap “Next” or “Continue.”
Verification: In some cases, WhatsApp might want to verify that your business phone number matches your business. This could be done through a call or text message.
Business Account Created: Once verified, your WhatsApp Business account will be created, and you’ll be able to start using the additional features and tools for businesses.
Explore Business Features: Take some time to explore the various features in your WhatsApp Business account. You can set up automated greetings, away messages, quick replies, and more.
Keep in mind that the steps might change over time as WhatsApp updates its features and interface, so it’s always a good idea to refer to the official WhatsApp Business website or app store for the most up-to-date instructions.
Revenue generation from your internet radio station requires strategic planning and finding the right revenue stream for your audience.
Advertising:
On-air ads: Sell ad spots directly to local businesses or use ad networks to connect with national brands. Ensure you have audience data to showcase demographics and listening habits.
Web ads: Include banner ads or sponsored content on your station’s website, using platforms like Google Adsense for automation.
Sponsorships:
Partner with brands: Find companies willing to sponsor your entire station or specific shows in exchange for on-air mentions, social media promotion, and website integration.
Run sponsored content: Create custom audio content highlighting a sponsor’s product or service, integrating it seamlessly into your program.
Subscriptions:
Offer premium content: Provide exclusive shows, ad-free listening, or bonus features to paying subscribers through platforms like Patreon or your own website.
Tiered access: Implement different subscription tiers with varying benefits, catering to different levels of listener dedication.
Other Options:
Donations: Encourage listeners to donate directly to support your station through on-air appeals or online donation buttons.
Merchandise: Sell branded t-shirts, mugs, or other items related to your station to loyal listeners.
Affiliate marketing: Earn commissions by promoting products or services relevant to your audience on your website or during shows.
Live events: Host live performances, meet-and-greets, or other events related to your content and charge for tickets or sponsorships.
Competitions and giveaways: Partner with companies for giveaways and contests, attracting new listeners and promoting sponsors.
Remember:
Diversification is key: Don’t rely solely on one revenue stream. Experiment and find a mix that suits your audience and content.
Content quality is crucial: Keep your listeners engaged with high-quality programming to attract advertisers and retain subscribers.
Data is your friend: Track listener demographics, listening habits, and engagement metrics to make informed decisions about your monetization strategy.
Stay compliant: Research and follow any relevant copyright and broadcast regulations related to your content and advertising practices.
With careful planning and execution, you can turn your passion for internet radio into a sustainable business model.
Nowadays YouTube viewership growth has been significant compared to the traditional television viewers,
YouTube Growth:
User base: Over 2.1 billion monthly active YouTube users (as of 2022), a massive reach comparable to the global television audience.
Content Watching : Over 1 billion hours of video watched daily, highlighting its immense popularity for entertainment and information.
Accessibility: Available anytime, anywhere with an internet connection, offering flexibility and convenience over scheduled TV programs.
Variety: Features diverse content creators and topics, catering to specific interests and niches, unlike the limited programming options of traditional TV.
Engagement: Allows for direct interaction with creators and other viewers through comments, likes, and community features, fostering a more connected experience.
Personalization: Recommends content based on viewing history and preferences, offering a more tailored experience than linear TV.
Television:
Traditional model: Relies on scheduled programming and cable/satellite subscriptions, potentially limiting accessibility and choice.
Declining viewership: Particularly among younger demographics, who are shifting towards online video platforms.
Limited interactivity: Primarily one-way communication, lacking the engagement features of YouTube.
Content restrictions: Bound by broadcasting regulations and production costs, potentially limiting content diversity.
However, it’s important to note that:
TV is not dead: Still holds a significant share of the audience, especially for live events and specific genres like sports and news.
Convergence exists: Traditional media companies are investing in streaming platforms and YouTube channels, blurring the lines.
Complementary roles: Both platforms can serve different needs and preferences, offering viewers a varied media landscape.
Overall, YouTube’s growth trajectory suggests its continued dominance in the video consumption space. However, television still holds its ground in specific areas, and the two platforms might increasingly coexist and complement each other.
YouTube optimization makes your business channel search friendly for both in-app users and users who arrive through regular search engines. Behind Google, YouTube is the second largest search engine, so optimizing your video presence has direct benefits to your SERP rankings.
We’ve identified the top ways to optimize your channel so you can drive as much traffic as possible through videos.
YouTube SEO ranking factors
To start, Google owns YouTube, so you can bet your last dollar that YouTube prizes quality video and ranks content according to sophisticated machine-learning algorithms. Since YouTube has its own native search bar, there are a few ranking factors that differ from Google’s in key ways. The top ranking YouTube search engine signals are:
Watch time: How long a user watches your video content (aka how long they stay on the page as the video plays).
Video length: Quality content often means longer content. Videos that surpass 10 minutes in length tend to rank higher because they provide topical relevancy and satisfy user intent.
Number of subscribers: YouTube channels with more subscribers send stronger authority signals to search engines.
User interaction: Sharing, commenting, liking, subscribing, linking.
YouTube optimization should focus on these ranking factors, as they are more likely to enhance your search presence and confer the level of SERP domination you seek. Here’s how to accomplish just that:
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1. Put a keyword into your YouTube channel name
On-page metadata works the same on YouTube as it does on your site. Keywords that are placed strategically near the front of a title of course work wonders, but think about including a keyword in your channel name itself.
For instance, instead of “Company name,” try “Company name: Keyword” with your keyword being your industry, your service, your product or any term that helps define your brand and enable searchers to find you. Best practice is to approach this not as additional characters to fill with jargon about you but as a mechanism for users to come across your company organically – so put yourself in their shoes.
Not only will transactional searchers who already know your name be able to find your channel, but so too will informational users simply looking for your target keyword. Plus, providing this next-level search-friendly info, you teach YouTube (and Google) how to properly crawl and index your channel, which allows search engines to better serve search results.
You can mine the same keyword research tools you use for search engine optimization (SEO) and PPC campaigns – Keyword Planner, Keyword Tool, etc. – to guide your YouTube marketing strategy.
2. Fill out the About Us page
The About Us page is often an underutilized piece of digital real estate. To this day, many marketers are unsure how to approach their About Us pages. Is it a company history? Is it a company mantra? Is it a branding exercise? Is it necessary at all?
The thing to know about About Us pages on YouTube is that the first 48 characters show up in the YouTube search results, so filling out this section is necessary for site users to understand who you are but also for YouTube to be able to serve the best snippet of content.
The rest of the About Us page is also a great opportunity to fully describe what your channel is about, the types of videos you produce and the value you provide to subscribers. Inserting a few keywords naturally can help optimize the page further for search as well.
Not sure what keywords to include? Google Search Console, Google Analytics and YouTube Analytics are great resources to mine for keyword opportunities you can win on.
Other keyword tools you can put to good use are Moz, SEMrush and Market Muse. Don’t settle for the obvious high-competition keywords, however. Segment analytics data until you uncover long-tail keywords that are intent-rich and wide open for organic rankings.
3. Use channel keyword tags under Advanced Settings
In this section under Advanced Settings in YouTube Studio, you get 100 characters to apply tags that round out the scope of your channel’s metadata.
These tags serve the same function on your site as they do on your YouTube channel, yet not every marketer places as much emphasis on meta tags as they could. Again, the purpose here is to allow YouTube and Google to index your site for search, so the more relevant, contextual information you can provide, the better. Just remember, keyword stuffing died years ago, so only input tags that add value – don’t go overboard. Treat YouTube optimization with the same deft touch you would take with your website’s on-page SEO, and you’ll do just fine.
4. Update your channel trailer
The YouTube Creator Academy, the Bible of YouTube pro tips straight from the company itself, calls channel trailers “the red carpet you lay out to get visitors to subscribe.” And if you remember from our list of ranking factors above, the number of subscribers is definitely what you want to optimize for.
These trailers are the introduction to your channel and are a visual About Us. However, channel trailers are visible only to non-subscribers, meaning you don’t need to create or curate information in your trailer in line with the needs of existing subscribers – you need to win over the nonbelievers, the uninformed and the skeptics.
Channel trailers are typically 30-60 seconds in length, and you should adhere to a few guidelines:
Introduce yourself as if no one has ever heard of you.
Keep it short and pitch quickly. You need to hook viewers within the first few seconds.
Ask viewers to subscribe, both vocally and textually within the video.
Show, don’t tell. Don’t talk about your value, give examples of it.
5. Publish long videos
The most important video ranking factor is video watch time. Sometimes referred to as “audience retention,” watch time means viewers have found enough value in your videos to remain on the page.
The best way to keep users occupied is to produce long videos that strategically disperse valuable information throughout the duration of the entire video. Videos that hit the 10-minute mark are often able to achieve significantly higher watch time than those that cram too much information into a short video or those that don’t cover a topic thoroughly enough to retain their audience. The average length of page one YouTube videos is 14 minutes 50 seconds.
YouTube SERPs typically serve only 3-4 videos above the fold (one of which is likely a paid ad), so your goal should be to crack into this elite list – otherwise, your awesome video might get lost in the shuffle. To do so, create long videos that dive deep into a single concept or that answer a single question.
How-to videos can be a great avenue to achieve higher watch time, as they are innately rich with information, explanations and commonly asked questions. And the only way to reliably explore every facet of a how-to video is by making it long enough to match user intent.
6. Focus on first 15 seconds of video to maximize watch time
Just as the YouTube Creator Academy preaches getting to the point quickly in channel trailers, Brian Dean of Backlinko asserts the first 15 seconds of your video is the ideal portion to optimize. Why? Because viewers will decide within that first 15 seconds whether your video is the real deal. Once you’ve got their buy-in, your video will naturally accrue greater watch time, improving your ranking signals.
Dean’s PPP method of YouTube optimization follows a Preview, Proof, Preview formula that hooks readers right away. Here’s how it works:
Preview: Immediately state what your video is about and what the viewer gains from watching it. E.g.: “Here’s what you’re going to learn in this video.”
Proof: State how your pitch has proven to work and back it up with examples, anecdotes and data. E.g.: “Our customers have tried this method many times and swear by its use.”
Preview: Double-down on your first preview, but be more specific. Include use cases and show new information viewers haven’t heard up until this point. E.g.: “Here are 15 ways to maximize your marketing spend.”
This format to the first 15 seconds of your video drives up watch time and puts your video in a great position to rank in the coveted top four.
7. Create playlists that enhance watch time
Playlists are a trusted way to boost watch time. Upon one video in a playlist ending, YouTube automatically moves users to the next video in the sequence, meaning their attention is effectively transferred from video to video.
Threading videos together to form a larger, more comprehensive playlist also allows you to showcase detailed concepts without being confined to a set length of time with a single video. Playlists also break up the file size of the video project into smaller individual videos, so uploading can be completed more quickly.
Lastly, a 1-hour video is capable of receiving only one instance of comments, likes and subscribes. But breaking that 1-hour video into six 10-minute chunks means you get six separate opportunities to entice viewers, gather comments and encourage subscriptions. This optimization model empowers you to compile data and review metrics on a more specific scale, which should permit you to better customize videos in the future.
8. Say your keywords in the video
The latest algorithmic changes to Google’s search engines now take into consideration a more dynamic field of content types. As such, videos, images and transcriptions are now crawlable. Anything you say in a video (especially one that includes subtitles and annotations) can technically impact your ranking signals.
Anything you say in a video (especially one that includes subtitles and annotations) can technically impact your ranking signals.
Putting your keyword into the title of your video while also saying your keyword throughout the video is a great way to drive home the point of what your video accomplishes, to both viewers and search engines. In line with Google’s shift toward natural language search and high-relevancy content, matching auditory keywords within a video with those utilized in video titles signals that you’re not spamming users and that your video follows through on its title.
As always, don’t overdo it.
9. Strengthen user interaction signals
User interaction is a ranking factor that helps search engines understand just how active your YouTube audience is and how much perceived authority you may hold on a given subject.
Optimizing for elevated user interaction signals improves your organic search presence, but only if you go about it the right way. Simply creating great YouTube content is not enough; you must verbally and visually ask viewers to interact with you in specific ways, namely through:
Sharing videos on social media platforms.
Commenting on videos with positive feedback.
Liking or thumbs-upping videos.
Subscribing to the channel for additional videos.
Linking to your videos on their own sites or channels.
Via backlinko.com
Make it easy for viewers to interact with you by consistently incentivizing them to like or share your videos. You can do this by calling out your social media links in the video, listing them in the video description or featuring them as clickable buttons on the screen.
10. Customize video thumbnails
A newer differentiator that is becoming more common on YouTube SERPs is creative video thumbnails. Just a few years ago, video thumbnails were static images, but they now automatically animate when cursors hover over them. Custom thumbnails give your target audience a preview of your content, helping to drive click-through rates and get your content in front of more viewers.
If your video is featured on Page 1, it’s likely facing stiff competition from other videos that may better serve viewer intent. So how do you get users to click on your video despite being ranked lower? The key is to make a great first impression by having a customized thumbnail that stands out visually from everything else on the page.
Customization can take many forms, including:
Appealing color schemes.
Dynamic banners or design patterns.
Intuitive splash screen/video title combinations.
Just as marketers run conversion rate optimization experiments on calls to action, you should do the same with your custom thumbnails. When paired with certain colors, video titles drive higher click-through rates. Split-testing varying iterations of text/video/design ensures you have the most optimized thumbnail possible.
Above all, video thumbnails need to remain accurate and relevant to the video itself. Do not over-promise and do not use clickbait phrasing.
11. Include compelling language in titles and the year in description
On the topic of CRO, many video optimization problems marketers run into relate to placing too much emphasis on the visual and not enough on the actual text. Yes, you’re producing videos and you want them to perform well. But text is an equally powerful component of this equation.
Compelling language maximizes click-through rates, so getting creative with your video title verbiage is important. The same goes with your video description. With a limited number of characters to work with, be concise and get out of the way. Each word should serve the higher purpose of the video.
Inserting the year into your title and description can also enhance CTR. Dates help prove that your content is still relevant or that it has been updated to match changing viewer intent. Instead of “How to turn every blog post into a high-traffic machine,” try “The ultimate guide to turning every blog post into a high-traffic machine” or “How to turn every blog post into a high-traffic machine.”
YouTube technically has a title character limit of 100 words, but anything longer than 70 will be truncated in search results.
Experiment with these phrasings for maximum readability, but remember that the exact year can have a measurable impact within the text.
12. Use Video Cards and End Screens for added context and SEO value
In May 2017, YouTube discontinued the use of in-video annotations. These features worked great on desktop devices because they allowed publishers to provide additional queues for viewers via text, banners or images embedded directly in videos.
However, in a mobile-first world, annotations no longer made sense on small screens, especially on sites that were not mobile-responsive. Enter: Video Cards and End Screens.
By reducing pop-ups (which were annoyingly used in annotations), user experience is more seamless – a ranking factor in search. Additionally, End Screens connect users to website domains and social channels, which provides an end-to-end journey for viewers.
13. Upload subtitles and closed captions
YouTube video subtitles present another opportunity to work in relevant keywords to boost your content’s visibility. Closed captions also improve the viewing experience for hearing-impaired audience members. Breaking down a complex topic? Subtitles and closed captions give viewers a visual aid to follow along with and aid comprehension.
Adding closed captioning is a relatively simple process that involves uploading a written transcript or dedicated Subrip Subtitle File (SRT) to pair with your YouTube video. The platform offers some customization options, letting you limit the amount of text that appears on the screen or time your closed captions to pop up at specific moments.
Be sure to optimize your subtitles and closed captions to take advantage of targeted, relevant keywords that will help increase your video SEO.
14. Embrace live YouTube videos
Don’t be afraid to explore new types of content that may appeal to your target audience and grow your YouTube channel following. Live videos, for instance, have become extremely popular on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Use YouTube’s live video feature to:
Hold webinars.
Demo new products.
Conduct Q&A sessions with industry influencers and your internal experts.
Run YouTube contests.
Take cues from competitors or look outside your own industry for inspiration. Find new ways to promote your YouTube page, even if they seem a little unorthodox.
One final note
A video marketing strategy may not be the primary mode of outreach for all brands, but if you have YouTube videos (even just one), optimizing them should be in your near future.
If you’re not handy with video production or design, you can still make several necessary tweaks to your existing videos that can have an enormous impact. The best part is that YouTube makes it super convenient to optimize your channel with little web dev or SEO knowledge. Anyone can become a YouTube marketing pro in a relatively short amount of time.
You probably heard about SSH already as it is an often-used internet jargon when it comes to anything related to cyber security. However, you might get overwhelmed when learning about what it exactly is and how does SSH works in the first place.
In this tutorial, we will cover the basics of SSH, along with the underlying mechanisms used by the protocol to offer a secured method of remote access. We will cover the different layers and types of encryption used, along with the purpose of each layer.
SSH, or Secure Shell Protocol, is a remote administration protocol that allows users to access, control, and modify their remote servers over the internet.
SSH service was created as a secure replacement for the unencrypted Telnet and uses cryptographic techniques to ensure that all communication to and from the remote server happens in an encrypted manner. It provides a mechanism for authenticating a remote user, transferring inputs from the client to the host, and relaying the output back to the client.
The example below shows a typical SSH prompt. Any Linux or macOS user can SSH into their remote server directly from the terminal window. Windows users can take advantage of SSH clients like Putty. You can execute shell commands in the same manner as you would if you were physically operating the remote computer.
How Does SSH Work
If you’re using Linux or Mac, then using SSH is very simple. If you use Windows, you will need to utilize an SSH client to open SSH connections. The most popular SSH client is PuTTY, which you can learn more about here.
For Mac and Linux users, head over to your terminal program and then follow the procedure below:
The SSH command consists of 3 distinct parts:
ssh {user}@{host}
The SSH key command instructs your system that you want to open an encrypted Secure Shell Connection. {user} represents the account you want to access. For example, you may want to access the root user, which is basically synonymous with the system administrator with complete rights to modify anything on the system. {host} refers to the computer you want to access. This can be an IP Address (e.g. 244.235.23.19) or a domain name (e.g. http://www.xyzdomain.com).
When you hit enter, you will be prompted to enter the password for the requested account. When you type it in, nothing will appear on the screen, but your password is, in fact being transmitted. Once you’re done typing, hit enter once again. If your password is correct, you will be greeted with a remote terminal window.
The significant advantage offered by SSH over its predecessors is the use of encryption to ensure a secure transfer of information between the host and the client. Host refers to the remote server you are trying to access, while the client is the computer you are using to access the host. There are three different encryption technologies used by SSH:
Symmetrical encryption
Asymmetrical encryption
Hashing
Symmetric Encryption
Symmetric encryption is a form of encryption where a secret key is used for both encryption and decryption of a message by both the client and the host. Effectively, anyone possessing the key can decrypt the message being transferred.
Symmetrical encryption is often called shared key or shared secret encryption. There is usually only one key that is used, or sometimes a pair of keys, where one key can easily be calculated using the other key.
Symmetric keys are used to encrypt the entire communication during an SSH session. Both the client and the server derive the secret key using an agreed method, and the resultant key is never disclosed to any third party.
The process of creating a symmetric key is carried out by a key exchange algorithm. What makes this algorithm particularly secure is the fact that the key is never transmitted between the client and the host.
Instead, the two computers share public pieces of data and then manipulate it to independently calculate the secret key. Even if another machine captures the publically shared data, it won’t be able to calculate the key because the key exchange algorithm is not known.
It must be noted, however, that the secret token is specific to each SSH session, and is generated prior to client authentication. Once the key has been generated, all packets moving between the two machines must be encrypted by the private key. This includes the password typed into the console by the user, so credentials are always protected from network packet sniffers.
A variety of symmetrical encryption ciphers exist, including, but not limited to, AES (Advanced Encryption Standard), CAST128, Blowfish, etc. Before establishing a secured connection, the client and a host decide upon which cipher to use, by publishing a list of supported ciphers in order of preference. The most preferred cipher – from the clients supported ciphers – that is present on the host’s list is used as the bidirectional cipher.
For example, if two Ubuntu 14.04 LTS machines are communicating with each other over SSH, they will use aes128-ctr as their default cipher.
Asymmetric Encryption
Unlike symmetrical encryption, asymmetrical encryption uses two separate keys for encryption and decryption. These two keys are known as the public key and the private key. Together, both these keys form a public-private key pair.
A public key can be used by any individual to encrypt a message and can only be decrypted by the recipient who possesses their particular private key, and vice versa. These consist of extensive and seemingly random combinations of numbers and symbols, however, both public and private keys are paired using complex mathematical algorithms.
For example, in order to authenticate the sender, a message is encrypted using their own private key. Therefore, the message can only be decrypted using that specific sender’s public key. Note that both encryption and decryption mechanisms are automatic processes – you don’t need to do anything manually.
Unlike the general perception, asymmetrical encryption is not used to encrypt an entire SSH session. Instead, it is used during the key exchange algorithm of symmetric encryption. Before initiating a secured connection, both parties generate temporary public-private key pairs and share their respective private keys to produce the shared secret key.
Once a secured symmetric communication has been established, the server uses the client’s public key to generate and challenge and transmit it to the client for authentication. If the client can successfully decrypt the message, it means that it holds the private key required for the connection – the SSH session then begins.
Hashing
One-way hashing is another form of cryptography used in Secure Shell Connections. One-way-hash functions differ from the above two forms of encryption in the sense that they are never meant to be decrypted. They generate a unique value of a fixed length for each input that shows no clear trend which can be exploited. This makes them practically impossible to reverse.
It is easy to generate a cryptographic hash from a given input, but impossible to generate the input from the hash. This means that if a client holds the correct input, they can generate the cryptographic hash and compare its value to verify whether they possess the correct input.
SSH uses hashes to verify the authenticity of messages. This is done using HMACs, or Hash-based Message Authentication Codes. This ensures that the command received is not tampered with in any way.
While the symmetrical encryption algorithm is being selected, a suitable message authentication algorithm is also selected. This works in a similar way to how the cipher is selected, as explained in the symmetric encryption section.
Each message that is transmitted must contain a MAC, which is calculated using the symmetric key, packet sequence number, and the message contents. It is sent outside the symmetrically encrypted data as the concluding section of the communication packet.
How Does SSH Work With These Encryption Techniques
The way SSH works is by making use of a client-server model to allow for authentication of two remote systems and encryption of the data that passes between them.
SSH operates on TCP port 22 by default (though this can be changed if needed). The host (server) listens on port 22 (or any other SSH assigned port) for incoming connections. It organizes the secure connection by authenticating the client and opening the correct shell environment if the verification is successful.
The client must begin the SSH connection by initiating the TCP handshake with the server, ensuring a secured symmetric connection, verifying whether the identity displayed by the server match previous records (typically recorded in an RSA key store file), and presenting the required user credentials to authenticate the connection.
There are two stages to establishing a connection – first, both the systems must agree upon encryption standards to protect future communications, and second, the user must authenticate themselves. If the credentials match, then the user is granted access.
Session Encryption Negotiation
When a client tries to connect to the server via TCP, the server presents the encryption protocols and respective versions that it supports. If the client has a similar matching pair of a protocol and version, an agreement is reached and the connection is started with the accepted protocol. The server also uses an asymmetric public key which the client can use to verify the authenticity of the host.
Once this is established, the two parties use what is known as a Diffie-Hellman Key Exchange Algorithm to create a symmetrical key. This algorithm allows both the client and the server to arrive at a shared encryption key which will be used henceforth to encrypt the entire communication session.
Here is how the algorithm works at a very basic level:
Both the client and the server agree on a very large prime number, which of course does not have any factor in common. This prime number value is also known as the seed value.
Next, the two parties agree on a common encryption mechanism to generate another set of values by manipulating the seed values in a specific algorithmic manner. These mechanisms, also known as encryption generators, perform large operations on the seed. An example of such a generator is AES (Advanced Encryption Standard).
Both the parties independently generate another prime number. This is used as a secret private key for the interaction.
This newly generated private key, with the shared number and encryption algorithm (e.g. AES), is used to compute a public key which is distributed to the other computer.
The parties then use their personal private key, the other machine’s shared public key and the original prime number to create a final shared key. This key is independently computed by both computers but will create the same encryption key on both sides.
Now that both sides have a shared key, they can symmetrically encrypt the entire SSH session. The same key can be used to encrypt and decrypt messages (read: section on symmetrical encryption).
Now that the secured symmetrically encrypted session has been established, the user must be authenticated.
Authenticating the User
The final stage before the user is granted access to the server is authenticating his/her credentials. For this, most SSH users use a password. The user is asked to enter the username, followed by the password. These credentials securely pass through the symmetrically encrypted tunnel, so there is no chance of them being captured by a third party.
Although passwords are encrypted, it is still not recommended to use passwords for secure connections. This is because many bots can simply brute force easy or default passwords and gain access to your account. Instead, the recommended alternative is SSH Key Pairs.
These are a set of asymmetric keys used to authenticate the user without the need of inputting any password.
Conclusion
Gaining an in-depth understanding of the underlying how SSH works can help users understand the security aspects of this technology. Most people consider this process to be extremely complex and un-understandable, but it is much simpler than most people think.
If you’re wondering how long it takes for a computer to calculate a hash and authenticate a user, well, it happens in less than a second. In fact, the maximum amount of time is spent in transferring data across the Internet.
Hopefully, this SSH tutorial has helped you see the way different technologies can be clubbed together to create a robust system in which each mechanism has a very important role to play. Also, now you know why Telnet became a thing of the past as soon as SSH came up.
(CNN Business)Amazon’s latest effort to speed up shopping trips lets you pay with the palm of your hand at some of its stores.On Tuesday, the Amazon introduced Amazon One, which connects your palm print to a stored credit card so you can place your hand above a sensor to enter and buy items at checkout-free Amazon (AMZN) Go stores. Initially, the feature will be available at two Amazon Go stores in Seattle, and the company plans in upcoming months to add it to more Amazon Go stores, which are spread across Seattle, San Francisco, New York, and Chicago. Amazon plans to bring it to other retailers — and perhaps places like offices and stadiums — in the future.
Dilip Kumar, Amazon’s vice president of physical retail and technology, told CNN Business that Amazon One had been in the works since long before the pandemic. But the timing could be a positive for Amazon: Customers may find such contact-free entry and payment technology convenient, and businesses, which are increasingly looking to technological solutions to navigate the pandemic, may also find it appealing.Yet the idea of handing over biometric data to one of the largest retailers in the United States could raise eyebrows, too. Amazon has previously come under fire from privacy advocates who are concerned about its facial-recognition software. Amazon said in June that it would temporarily stop selling its Rekognition software to police. When it comes to Amazon One data, Kumar said the company isn’t storing any information locally on entry scanners at stores. All palm images are encrypted and Amazon stores them online.The company purposely chose palm recognition rather than another biometric because it can be very accurately matched, and a customer has to make an intentional gesture to use it, he said.close dialog
We read all day so you don’t have to.Get our nightly newsletter for all the top business stories you need to know.Sign Me UpBy subscribing you agree to ourprivacy policy.“I encourage people to try it, see how they like the experience, and then go from there,” Kumar said.Amazon One — which is not to be confused with the company’s first airplane, also called Amazon One — is the latest offering in a decades-long effort to make shopping faster and more convenient. Its arrival had been anticipated.Before trying it, users must insert a credit card in an Amazon One device and hold a palm above it, facing down, so it can be scanned. In an effort to make the system as accurate as possible, Kumar said, a camera takes multiple images of the fine lines and ridges of the palm, and captures some subcutaneous details, such as veins, that aren’t as visible in typical photographs.
After enrollment, a user holds their palm above an Amazon One scanner to enter the store. Then, anything they take will be automatically charged to the credit card connected to their palm. Users should be able to use the same palm to enter and shop at multiple stores, Kumar said. At first, users will be able to link one credit card to either or both palms; eventually, Kumar said, there may be an option to assign one credit card to each palm.Amazon One is currently available at two of the Amazon Go stores in Seattle, at 7th Avenue and Blanchard Street, and in the South Lake Union neighborhood. Amazon is not yet saying when it will be available at other retailers, nor how much it will charge other businesses to use the technology.
Scientists have developed a camera that can see through the human body.
The device has been designed to help doctors track medical tools, known as endoscopes, during internal examinations.
Until now, medics have had to rely on expensive scans, such as X-rays, to trace their progress.
The new camera works by detecting light sources inside the body, such as the illuminated tip of the endoscope’s long flexible tube.
Prof Kev Dhaliwal, of the University of Edinburgh, said: “It has immense potential for diverse applications, such as the one described in this work.
“The ability to see a device’s location is crucial for many applications in healthcare, as we move forwards with minimally invasive approaches to treating disease.”
‘Tissues and organs’
Early tests have shown the prototype device can track a point light source through 20cm of tissue under normal conditions.
Beams from the endoscope can pass through the body, but usually scatter or bounce off tissues and organs rather than travelling straight through.
That makes it problematic to get a clear picture of where the tool is.
Image captionThe equipment is sensitive it can detect individual photons
The new camera can detect individual particles, called photons, and is so sensitive it can catch tiny traces of light passing through tissue.
It can also record the time taken for light to pass through the body, meaning the device is able to work out exactly where the endoscope is.
Researchers have developed the new camera so it can be used at the patient’s bedside.
The project – led by the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University – is part of the Proteus Interdisciplinary Research Collaboration, which is developing a range of new technologies for diagnosing and treating lung diseases.
Dr Michael Tanner, of Heriot-Watt University, said: “My favourite element of this work was the ability to work with clinicians to understand a practical healthcare challenge, then tailor advanced technologies and principles that would not normally make it out of a physics lab to solve real problems.
“I hope we can continue this interdisciplinary approach to make a real difference in healthcare technology.”
How many times a day do you check your smartphone?
According to a recent survey, the typical American checks once every 6½ minutes, or approximately 150 times every day. Other research has found that number to be as high as 300 times a day.
For young people, the attachment is particularly acute: 53 percent of people between the ages of 15 and 30 reported they would sooner give up their sense of taste than their smartphones.
These data strongly suggest that many may, indeed, be addicted to their smartphones. I’ve studied shopping addiction for 20 years and have a pretty good sense of when normal behaviors veer into unhealthy preoccupations. The fact that 80 to 90 percent of people use their phones while driving — which, by one estimate, causes 6,000 deaths and US$9 billion in damages annually — is a clear sign that something is amiss. And as a college professor, I’ve seen, firsthand, the overwhelming distraction caused by smartphones in the classroom.
But I also wondered: Are some people more likely to become addicted to their smartphones than others? There’s a good body of research tying certain personality types to being prone to other addictions. Could a similar link exist for smartphone addiction?
Solar Impulse 2 is halfway to making aviation history.
The plane took off from New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport on Monday and is making its way across the Atlantic Ocean to Seville, Spain. If successful, it would be the first time an emissions-free airplane has crossed the Atlantic.
WORLD TECH UPDATE
This solar plane is crossing the Atlantic using only renewable energy (1:25)
Solar Impulse 2 is expected to land in Seville on June 23rd after a four-day, nonstop flight. It’s not the first time the pilot, Bertrand Piccard, has made the journey, but this trip may be his most significant.
“Lindbergh’s transatlantic flight marked a new area in aviation and contributed to the progress of air transport on a large scale,” Piccard said. “With Solar Impulse, our aim is to encourage the deployment of clean technologies everywhere. If an airplane can fly day and night without fuel, everybody could use these same efficient solutions in their daily lives.”
From Spain, Solar Impulse 2 will continue on to Abu Dhabi, where it began it’s journey in March 2015. You can follow the plane’s progress online here.
Fifteen years ago, China decided to build homegrown processors for PCs, servers, and supercomputers. Now the country’s latest chip is powering the world’s fastest computer.
The Sunway TaihuLight at the National Supercomputing Center in Wuxi, China, was ranked as the world’s fastest supercomputer on a Top500 list published on Monday. It runs on a homegrown ShenWei processor and is capable of 93 petaflops (million billion floating point operations per second) of sustained performance. Its peak performance can reach 125.4 petaflops.
The supercomputer is a big statement that China doesn’t have to rely on U.S. technology for its IT needs. China used Intel’s chips to build the world’s second fastest supercomputer, the Tianhe-2, which until recently held the top spot on the Top500 list.
The U.S. in April last year banned the export of some Intel Xeon chips to China for use in supercomputers, with the government concerned the chips would be used in activities against U.S. interests. The Tianhe-2 and Tianhe-1A were allegedly used in nuclear weapon tests, which partly spurred the export ban.
The embargo on the Xeon chips did not affect the building of the Sunway TaihuLight supercomputer. China already had set its sights on building the first supercomputer that could deliver a performance of more than 100 petaflops, Top500 wrote.
But the embargo did strengthen the resolve and precipitated efforts of China to build its own homegrown chips.
For the Chinese, the development of indigenous IT equipment, especially for high-performance computing, is a matter of priority and national pride, said Nathan Brookwood, principal analyst at Insight 64.
“They are trying to show their moxie here, and they are doing a pretty good job,” Brookwood said.
Developing a high-tech chip gives China bragging rights to stand up against countries and top chip-makers like Intel. It’s also a matter of cost, Brookwood said.
“China spends more on IT equipment than oil,” Brookwood said.
The home-grown Chinese chip also gives the country some weight and bargaining power against top chip makers Intel, IBM, and Qualcomm, who are trying to push their own chips to server makers in China.
The ShenWei processor may not make it to servers used in data centers, but may be a bargaining chip for China to use against companies like Intel and Qualcomm to make concessions as a way to gain business in the country.
A supercomputer with a homegrown Chinese chip, the Sunway BlueLight MPP, running an early version of the ShenWei processor, entered the Top500 list in November 2011 at number 14. It was the first Chinese supercomputer with a homegrown chip to enter the Top500 list and was ranked at 119 on the list released on Monday.
China, the U.S., Japan, and European countries are in a constant race to build the world’s fastest computer. China had 167 supercomputers on the Top500 list, beating the U.S., which had 165.
The Sunway TaihuLight has the ShenWei SW26010 processor, a monster 260-core chip. Each chip delivers a performance of 3 teraflops, which Top500 rated as being on par with Intel’s latest Xeon Phi chip code-named Knights Landing. That chip is rated as one of the company’s fastest.
The Chinese supercomputer has a staggering 10,649,600 cores over 40,960 nodes. It was developed by the National Research Center of Parallel Computer Engineering and Technology.
With Sunway TaihuLight, China is also the first country to make a supercomputer that passes 100 petaflops in performance. Countries are in a race to make a computer that can deliver a performance of an exaflop, or a million trillion calculations per second, which is expected to be reached sometime after 2020.
There’s still is some mystery to China’s latest homegrown chip. It is a 64-bit RISC processor, which Top500 speculates is based on the DEC Alpha architecture. The supercomputer has 1.3 petabytes of the older DDR3 memory, and uses 15.3 megawatts of power, making it more power-efficient than the number two supercomputer Tianhe-2, which uses 17.8 megawatts. It also has a homegrown interconnect, though its based on PCI-Express 3.0
China over years has developed a chip called Godson, which has been used in PCs, though progress has seemingly stalled.
Anu's ICT Blog 